Month: April 2016

Hill Street Blues Season One Rewatch: Episode 14, “Rites of Spring (Part One)”

vlcsnap-2016-04-26-07h37m16s200Season One, Episode 14: “Rites of Spring” (Part One)

written by Michael Kozoll and Steven Bochco
directed by Gregory Hoblit
original airdate: May 19, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Item 11, which we don’t discover is item 11 until item 12, is Phil telling everyone that with spring springing, crime’s going to be on the rise. 12 is an announcement about a summit between the various minority cop organizations. 13 is blood drive info, and 14 is an update on bus and subway robberies, during which a guy who looks disturbingly like Nick Offerman wanders in and hands Phil some paperwork. (It’s not him. Nick was only 11 when this episode aired.) After handing out assignments, Phil breaks roll, and we go straight to credits.

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Hill Street Blues Season One Rewatch: Episode 13, “Fecund Hand Rose”

vlcsnap-2016-04-19-08h14m24s13Season One, Episode 13: “Fecund Hand Rose”

written by Alan Rachins
directed by Gregory Hoblit
original airdate: March 26, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Wow, item 15 to start? No wonder the episode starts so late. Item 15, literally, is Phil yelling at Renko to wake up. That’s how long roll call’s been going. Item 16 regards the city attorney getting mad about cops recommending specific bail bondsmen. The final item is Phil thanking everyone who attended his bachelor party the previous evening, which got completely out of hand… and his hope that everyone will attend his wedding that night. As roll call breaks up, Ray comes downstairs and announced there’s a huge gang fight in the projects in Jefferson Heights precinct, and they’ve requested assistance. The officers roll out doubletime, and we roll credits at normal speed…

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Hill Street Blues Season One Rewatch: Episode 12, “I Never Promised You a Rose, Marvin”

vlcsnap-2016-04-12-07h55m20s18Season One, Episode 12: “I Never Promised You a Rose, Marvin”

written by Anthony Yerkovich
directed by Robert C. Thompson
original airdate: March 19, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Item nine has Phil once again lecturing about Sniper Alley (see last episode), and informing the squad that ignoring last episode’s warning led to Ludwig and Carmichael being sent packing. Another warning, natch. Item ten involves a retirement-age motorcyclist harassing Saint Teresa’s… oh, in the nude. Lastly, Phil eulogizes the departed Marv some more, complete with Marv’s urn and a poem Marv wrote before expiring. Phil announces that the urn will rest in state next to the squad room coffee machine for the rest of the day, and — I can honestly say I don’t recall whether or not it happens — but I’m sure that won’t end well. We’ll find out together! After the credits, of course.

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Hill Street Blues Season One Rewatch: Episode 11, “Life, Death, Eternity”

vlcsnap-2016-04-05-12h19m13s81Season One, Episode 11: “Life, Death, Eternity”

story by Anthony Yerkovich
written by Gregory Hoblit and Lee David Zlotoff
directed by Jack Starrett
original airdate: March 12, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Our usual in medias res involves Phil updating the shivering, huddled squad on the status of their broken heater (pausing to hand a handkerchief to a sneezing Morgan). Item 14: Phil’s angry because officers are deliberately taking their units through “Sniper Alley” in order to try and induce thrown bottles, rocks, and the like. And I mean angry, angrier than we’ve seen him so far in the series.

He’s interrupted by a 1″ drill bit very nearly penetrating the back of Lucy’s head as she leans against the wall. As Phil continues, Marv emerges and apologetically cleans drywall dust off Lucy’s shoulder. Phil concludes by confirming that Furillo is up for Divisional Commander, and it’s obvious nobody’s happy about it. As everyone leaves, Lucy exhorts Marv, who is sweating like a stuck pig, to get to a doctor. Meanwhile, Andy and Bobby are chatting with new cops, Ludwig and his partner Carmichael; after they depart, Phil tells Hill and Renko on the down-low that the other pair are on the “F-list” — this is their last chance as cops. With that, we roll credits.
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